Signs Of Life
by xohearted12
Summary: He could hear the sirens approaching, but he didn't know if they would get there quick enough. Steve/Kono.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, again! **

**As you may know, I've written two one-shot pieces for this couple, but, I decided that I would try and tackle a longer story. **

**Enjoy!**

**SIGNS OF LIFE **

Danny was seated in the driver seat, holding tightly to the wheel, pushing down on the gas peddle of the car. Kono had positioned herself in the passenger seat when the call first came into the headquarters of Five-O.

Steve and Chin both insisted that they could handle the case, but Kono had jumped up instantly. She was greatly hoping to redeem herself from a previous missed opportunity.

Although, she had discussed the issue with her boyfriend, Kono was still feeling a sense of guilt, even after several days had come and gone.

Earlier in the week, Kono was required to chase down a suspected kidnapper when the rest of the team had already lost the man's location. She believed that she had every chance to catch him, but because of several errors on her part, the man escaped from their grasp. Kono described this a rookie mistake that could have easily of been avoided.

Since this event, Kono would volunteer herself to take over any and every case the team acquired. She never even took a moment to think about how dangerous it proved to be. Steve commonly tried to convince her otherwise, but she was just as stubborn and determined as he usually was.

The couple had just celebrated their one-year anniversary a few days' prior. Steve had expressed his hopes that Kono would take some time to slow down, but she didn't listen in the slightest. He wasn't even sure she had listened to his request in the first place.

A perfect example of her persistence is the fact that Danny and Kono were now chasing after a highly dangerous individual who could easily kill both trained officers.

There were several characteristics that allowed for Steve to fall in love with the team's rookie. He admired her bravery and her skill. She proved her place on his team in a matter of weeks, but remained unwavering in her attempts to learn. Because of her line of work, Kono was required to handle her emotions while in a professional environment, but she also managed to reveal a caring, vulnerable side tempted Steve from the start.

Danny held the steering wheel, preparing to turn the car at any moment. He knew that a car chase is always unpredictable. There could never be a sure outcome. And no one was ever guaranteed his or her life.

"Why do they run?" Danny asked as Kono stared out of her window.

Kono had her head resting on her arm that was propped up on the door. She turned her head slightly to face Danny with her eyebrows raised, showing her confusion.

"I just don't get it. Don't they watch TV?" He sounded annoyed. Kono was amused. "They should know that we'd catch them eventually and they will end up in jail, but, no!" Danny raised his voice. "No, they still run!"

"I don't know, Danny." Kono watched him. "I've never been in the opposite position." She was speaking about being in the suspect's position.

Danny turned his head with his eyes narrowed. Kono had to re-think her statement.

She bit her lip and avoided eye contact with the car's driver. "Okay, so that was a lie." Danny laughed, nodding.

Kono hadn't taken the time to remember a situation that had taken place almost two years prior. Most of the time, the team chose to forget the repercussions of Kono's dismissal from Five-O, along with her IA investigation.

Following her reinstatement, she struggled to regain relationships with her team. She couldn't trust them, as she once had. It took a long time for things to return to normal. There was a different dynamic within the team that made everyone uncomfortable. None of them we're entirely sure of how to approach the topic. No one wanted to complicate things even farther.

But as a result of the issue, Steve and Kono ultimately found comfort in each other. After a long process, they resumed their professional relationship, and were even able to take things to a higher level. At first, the relationship was awkward for Danny and Chin, but over time, they were able to adapt. They even started to expect to find the two making out on the former SEAL's desk.

It had been two years since then, and almost three and a half since Kono had graduated from the Police Academy. The team was stronger than ever, but several aspects of the team were never going to change.

For one, Steve and Danny would never stop arguing. Chin was always going to be the wisest and calmest of them all. Finally, Kono would always be the one required to participate in undercover operations. She's done a few of those in her time with the team. Most included her wearing a tight fitted dress that was meant to appeal to the suspects. Not that she minded. Especially when she returned home, she was met with an extremely jealous boyfriend. Let's just say her dresses didn't survive the night.

"Yeah, but we're past that." Danny stated. He sensed the tension that entered their friendly conversation.

"Of course." Kono knew that they were. Things were substantially better since her brief firing, but it still wounded her to think about the pain it had once caused her.

"Dammit." Danny quickly turned to wheel as the suspect changed lanes, swerving through traffic. Both cars were traveling at dangerous speeds, along with having to run numerous red lights.

Kono pulled her phone out of her pocket as he started to ring. She looked at the name on the screen, answering the call. "Hey, babe." She spoke into the phone.

Danny instantly knew who was speaking on the other line.

"Have you caught the suspect yet?" Steve asked curiously.

"Not yet, we're still following him."

Steve was seated at his desk at HQ. He had just finished a pile of paperwork when boredom started to set in.

"Steve?" She asked. Something was up. "Why did you call me?" He never dared to call while she was in the middle of a case. Kono knew that.

Danny decided to speak up from his corner of the car. "He probably just called to tell you that he loves you." He stated in a teasing voice. Kono turned her head towards Danny, rolling her eyes. He followed her actions by sticking out his tongue.

"I'm bored." Steve answered after choosing to ignore his childish comment.

Kono laughed. "Babe, I can't really help you with that."

Steve placed his boots on top of the desk, leaning back in the chair as his girlfriend spoke. He smiled to himself. "I've been thinking about you." He was almost whispering into his end of the line, lowering his voice.

Kono smirked; making sure Danny didn't witness the act. "No, I think you've had too much time on your hands to think about last night."

Danny cringed. He hated when they flirted, especially when it was of the sexual kind. Danny was happy for his partner, but he didn't wish to know certain knowledge about their relationship when they left the workplace.

"You're disgusting." He yelled.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked. "Danny, you have a child! I think it's pretty obvious that you've done it before." Kono shrugged. It was true.

"I know that, Kono! I am well aware of my sexual actions, but I do not wish to know about yours!" He shouted as he made another abrupt turn, trailing the car ahead of their own.

Steve was able to pick up on a good portion of the conversation, and he was definitely pleased that he was not in that car. He laughed.

"I shouldn't have to think about all of the dirty things the SEAL has done to you!"

Kono ran her free hand over her face. "Hey, babe." She started to speak into the phone again. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Steve smiled as he turned on his computer. He was probably going to play some stupid Internet game that happened to entertain everyone else on the planet. "Okay. Be safe."

The line disconnected.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO **

"_You're being ridiculous, Danny." _

"_Really? Because I don't think that I am." He continued to stare out the front windshield. He was growing frustrated with what had to be the longest car chase known to man. _

"_Whatever. You don't really get to be surprised to know that we've, you know," She paused. Kono never wanted to have this kind of conversation with Danny. Sure, he was like her brother, but this is of an extremely important matter. _

"_That you've what?" He knew that she was growly uncomfortable, but he enjoyed messing with her too much. Kono was about to reply when the suspect made another move with his car. Danny made sure that he followed, which required their car to run a light._

_They weren't even out of the intersection when Danny saw the quickly approaching lights. _

_While his reflexes are quite impressive, there was nothing he could do to avoid the impact. _

_Kono didn't even see the car. She couldn't even prepare herself for the destruction. Not that they really had that kind of time. _

_Danny tried to swerve, but, if anything, that had only made the crash that much worse. _

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Danny wasn't exactly sure how long he had been unconscious, but he quickly became aware of his many injuries. His head hurt and his neck was stiff. His eyes fluttered open, which allowed him to witness the damage.

There was smoke emerging from the front end of the car and glass from the windshield was shattered, covering the entire front seat of the vehicle.

He heard the sirens approaching from a reasonable distance, but he didn't know if they would be there quick enough. A voice began to speak from him. He didn't recognize the source, but he tried to focus all of his weakened focus on the voice.

"Sir?" The man asked. "Sir, are you hurt?" Concern was evident in his voice. Danny made the assumption that the man had witnessed the crash and wanted to ensure that the victims had survived.

Danny leaned his head against the back of his seat. He closed his eyes, but forced himself to open them again. He was aware that he couldn't fall asleep. He had to stay awake. For Grace.

"No." He mumbled. "No, I don't think so." He looked up to see a young man standing beside his window.

"Okay," He nodded. "The ambulance is on its way. I need for you to stay awake, sir."

Danny shook his head. "Yeah." There was nothing more that he wanted than to drift into the darkness. His eyelids felt incredibly heavy. The crash had taken all of his strength. Even breathing had become a difficult task for the man.

"Sir, is there anyone in the car with you?" The man asked just as Danny started to lose touch with the world.

"What?" Danny awakened enough to question.

"Was there anyone in the car with you, sir?" The man attempted to examine the vehicle again, but his line of view was interrupted by the damage done.

In that instance, Danny remembered. He wasn't alone. Kono had been sitting next to him. She was there with him.

Where is she?

Danny started to panic. He quickly lifted his head from its former position to inspect the scene. He turned his head and he saw her.

She was lying still in the passenger seat. He saw a trail of blood running down her face. It originated from a nasty gash directly above her eyebrow. There were several smaller wounds covering her face.

He allowed his eyes to wander. He could tell that she was must worse off them himself. There was blood everywhere. 

"Oh, god." He whispered out of shock.

After looking at his teammate for a moment, he noticed a huge shard of glass sticking out of her abdomen. From the location of the injury and the amount of blood coming from it, Danny would be surprised if she had survived.

"Kono?"

**TO BE CONTINUED. **

**I am aware that it's not amazing, but the story is just starting out. I have plans for this, and I promise that it will get more exciting. **

**Reviews would be greatly appreciated. **

**Thanks, everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello!**

**Let me just start out by saying thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter of this story. It motivates me to type quicker than I would have before. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. **

**SIGNS OF LIFE**

**CHAPTER 2 **

_"Was there anyone in the car with you, sir?" The man attempted to examine the vehicle again, but his line of view was interrupted by the damage done._

_In that instance, Danny remembered. He wasn't alone. Kono had been sitting next to him. She was there with him._

_He started to panic. He quickly lifted his head from its former position to inspect the scene. He turned his head and saw her._

_She was lying still in the passenger seat. He saw a trail of blood running down her face. It originated from a nasty gash directly above her eyebrow. He allowed his eyes to wander. He could tell that she was must worse off them himself. There was blood everywhere._

_"Oh, god." He whispered out of shock._

_After looking at his teammate for a moment, he noticed a huge shard of glass sticking out of her abdomen. From the location of the injury and the amount of blood coming from it, Danny would be surprised if she had survived._

_"Kono?"_

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

"I need you to calm down, sir!" the frantic man standing at Danny's window demanded. He kept turning his head, facing his road. He was watching for the ambulance. "

Danny kept his eyes locked on Kono, nodding slowly.

"Okay, I'm going to open your door now, sir." He made the statement sound like a question. Almost like he was asking for permission to do so.

Danny turned his head quickly, an action he soon regretted as all the blood rushed to his head. "No, Stop! No!" He was shaking his head, pointing in Kono's direction. He had not seen her move an inch since opening his eyes. Nothing.

Was she even breathing?

The worried man was confused. "No! You have to help her!" Danny yelled. "Kono!" he was hoping that screaming her name would awaken something within her. It didn't have to be anything bid. Just something. One of her fingers moving a centimeter would calm his worries greatly at this point.

"Over here! We need some help!" The man was yelling in the opposite. Danny managed the strength to look in the same direction. There was a paramedic running towards the wreckage.

Everything started to blur for Danny then.

Yelling voices turned into whispers. His eyes began to shut, but he did his best to fight it. It took everything in him to not surrender.

"Sir? I need you to stay awake!" Danny tried to stay focused on the voice. He knew help was coming. Danny had seen them with his own tired eyes.

"Do you know what happened here?" A different voice began speaking. It was a deep, severe tone that reminded Danny of his partner. A partner that was going to kill him for this if he wasn't already dead.

"No. I was sitting at the light. This car went through the intersection, but the truck had already come from the opposite direction." The man that had been tending to Danny since he regained consciousness was now explaining the series of events to the paramedic and fire chief that took their place near the car.

He was using his arms to help explain the incident. He would point in a certain direction to assist in relaying the story.

"The car flipped." The man looked at Danny again. "I've been trying to keep him awake. He doesn't seem too hurt."

The fire chief approached the window. "Sir, do you know your name?"

"Kono." This was the only word that managed to escape his mouth.

"Your name is Kono, sir?" The chief knew exactly whom he was speaking to. He recognized Danny from several crime scenes over the years. But he required Danny to show some sort of memory from before the accident.

"No!" He yelled. They weren't listening to him. Danny was becoming extremely annoyed.

The fire chief had started to open the driver door of the car to get better access to Danny. He wished to evaluate his injuries before deciding whether to move him or not.

"My name is Danny Williams! I'm a detective on Five-O. I have a daughter, Grace. I'm from Jersey. Somewhere that is a long way from this awful island!" His annoyance with the situation started boiling over. "That's who I am! But you need to help her!"

Danny was aware of his own injuries. He was going to fine. But he had to protect Kono. They are teammates and that was his job. He is required to keep them safe. All of them.

Chin. Even Steve on several occasions.

But his only concern at the time was Kono's life hanging in the balance.

Danny had three men attending to him. They were concerned with minor injuries he had sustained, when all he wanted was to jump over the seat, in order to save her.

The paramedic started to ask Danny questions about the accident while he touch the wounds on his face.

No one even seemed to be concerned with Kono. Didn't they see her?

Danny tried to push his hands away. "No! Stop!" He yelled.

"We are just trying to help you." The paramedic explained. He was aware of the stressful situation Danny was under. The crash was bad. Danny knew he was the cause of this mess.

"Why aren't you helping her? She's not dead!" He was moving frantically in his seat.

The paramedic lifted his head to stare at Kono and the other paramedic that had been assisting her since their arrival on the scene.

"You don't have to worry about her. There's someone helping her." His statement didn't seem to calm Danny in the slightest. The paramedic needed to find a new tactic. Keeping Danny still was going to be the only way to help him. "Danny? You said your name is Danny, right?" He asked. Questions might help in distracting him.

Danny nodded with his eyelids slowly closing.

"Okay, and you said that you have a daughter?" He hoped that thoughts of his daughter would ease his mind.

"Yeah."

"And what's her name?" He started placing a bandage over his face, covering a wound under his eye.

"Um," He flinched from the pain. "Grace." Danny smiled slightly. "Her name is Grace."

"Do you want to tell me about her?" The paramedics were just about ready to move Danny from the car. They needed to get a better look at his injuries. No one was sure of how he would react to this.

Danny started to think about his daughter. What would happen to her if he were to die? Sure, she had her mother. She had Rachel, but she needed him to be around for as long as possible.

"She's a good girl." He coughed. His breathing started to become heavier. The pressure and panic of the crash was catching up with him both physically and emotionally.

This was when the fire chief entered the conversation again. "Danny, I think it's time we move you." He kneeled in the doorway, allowing Danny to see him better.

Danny looked over at Kono. She was still seated next to him, unconscious, with another paramedic looking at her. He appeared to be scared to touch her.

There was blood everywhere. Particularly on her face and arms. She had cuts and wounds covering her entire body. He wanted to stay, make sure she was going to survive, but he understood his inability to do anything for her.

Danny nodded at the statement. He was kind of hoping they would say that.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Steve had just left headquarters. He opened his car door and started driving down the usual streets he used to get himself home.

He was about to make a turn when sirens interjected his thoughts. The police cars swerved around his own. Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to follow them to their destination.

When they arrived at the scene all Steve was able to see was a growing crowd of curious bystanders. He couldn't get much out of people he asked. He tried to make his way to the front of the gathering by using his name and position.

Once he finally did, he stopped. Steve was frozen. He recognized the car as Danny's. It barely resembled its original form. The entire windshield was broken; the front end of the car was dented, but all Steve could focus on was the person being removed from the car.

Danny emerged from the smashed car, supported by two large men. Steve could see that his partner had been through hell and back. He observed that Danny was barely standing on his own feet. He was exhausted.

Steve tried even harder to push through the crowd but was stopped by a police officer standing in front of him.

"Excuse me, sir, but you can't cross that line." The officer tried to push him back. You really don't want to mess with a man that could kill you with his bare hands on a normal day. At the moment he was watching his partner escape from a possibly fatal accident.

"That's my partner." He spoke calmly without even facing the young officer. His eyes remained glued to Danny's frail appearance. "Commander Steven McGarrett," He introduced himself, pulling out his identification. "Head of Five-O." His tone was harsh.

The officer looked at Steve before studying his ID. He nodded, moving out of his path.

Steve didn't thank the man, but continued towards the scene. He increased his speed as the gap between the two partners closed.

Danny lifted his head and was met with the uneasy eyes of his boss. How was he going to explain this one? He didn't even want to think about the man's possibly dead girlfriend still trapped in the wreckage.

"Danny?" He asked, almost like he was questioning his presence. Steve couldn't believe all of this was happening. Danny was fine that morning. He came into the office as he normally would. Nothing was different. But hours later, it looks like he had just emerged from a brutal grudge match. "What the hell happened?"

Steve had seen a dozen and a half car accidents, and they were always similar to the next. One car would do something illegal, but a second vehicle didn't have the time needed to avoid a crash. The situation was the same. Only minor details changed.

This accident is a perfect example of that fact. Even though Steve didn't know the specifics of the crash, he knew the events happened in a similar way. The only elements that differed are the victims. In this instance they were people Steve loved.

Steve looked at the car again, wondering how Danny survived it. It was a miracle that he wasn't in a wheelchair.

Danny simply stared at him. He was too invested in the situation to speak at it. The emotions were too present, too real.

Steve was aware that Kono was involved in the wreck. But he had not allowed himself to think about it just yet. He couldn't image existing after her death.

Before forming Five-O, Steve was just going through the motions. His father just died and he wanted revenge. Of course, he couldn't do go after Wo Fat alone, so he formed a team of the best officers out there.

Danny Williams, the experienced detective from New Jersey, recovering from a recent divorce. Chin Ho Kelly, another skilled officer who grew up in Hawaii. And finally, Kono Kalakaua. A newly graduated rookie who was eager to learn.

Steve wasn't getting a whole lot out of life at that time. His only drive was the desire to get justice for his family. But soon enough, he found a different, better family.

A family with people that loved him. People that wanted him to be safe. Things were better for Steve. He was happy, and Kono played a huge part in that happiness.

Kono made things better.

He couldn't lose her today. Steve doesn't just invest two years time in one relationship. For his relationship with Kono to last that amount of time is saying a lot. She doesn't get to die after all they had to endure.

Steve and Danny locked eyes for a moment and Steve knew.

"It's bad, Steve." Danny spoke with a sensitive voice.

Steve ran his hands over his worried features. This is not how he imagined this day going. His girlfriend was dying and he had no control.

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

**The story is definitely moving slower than I thought it would. But, hey, that just means there will be more chapters than I had originally planned. **

**Stay tuned for the next chapter. **

**Reviews would be greatly appreciated, thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys!**

**I have been trying to get these chapters up as soon as possible. So far, I think I'm doing pretty well. Things are going to get pretty exciting, starting with this chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**SIGNS OF LIFE  
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**CHAPTER 3**

_Steve and Danny locked eyes for a moment and Steve knew._

_"It's bad, Steve." Danny spoke with a sensitive voice._

_Steve ran his hands over his worried features. This is not how he imagined this day going. His girlfriend was dying and he had no control._

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

"What do you mean?" The question was pointless. It was obvious that she was hurt. Steve was determined to understand what had exactly happened to cause this. He stepped forward, hoping to push past his partner. Danny, who was still being supported by two paramedics on either side of his battered body, was not pleased with his action.

"Steve, don't." He used all of his remaining energy to say those words. His chest was pounding, unable to steady his breathing. Danny shook his head as Steve glared at him.

Danny knew Steve didn't appreciate being told what to do. It was just who he was and Danny couldn't really blame him.

For most of his life, Steve was on his own. Independence is what Steve relied on. He thrived on the fact that he did not have any commitments or strings to sever.

"What, Danny?" Steve pulled his arm from Danny's hold. He looked at the scene, wondering what was happening to Kono. She was still in the car. She had to be. The only thing he could see was a paramedic sitting near an open car door.

Danny remained silent for a moment, allowing Steve to inhale his surroundings. "You don't want to see that." His voice was low. The conversation was meant to be between the two men. No one else needed to be involved.

Steve was about to say something else, but several voices interrupted him. There was a loud commotion coming from the vehicle. Numerous officers and paramedics were gathering near the crash, standing beside the door.

Danny forced his way out of the two paramedic's grasp to witness the events for himself. It was hard for him to stand up straight with the assistance, every inch of him ached, but Steve needed someone. Whether he was going to admit to that or not.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVO**

Kono was drifting in and out of consciousness. She could manage several voices hovering over her. It took a second, but Kono was able to recall the accident. Every minor detail leading up to the initial impacts were ringing in her head.

Her eyes opened slightly, but not enough for anyone to take notice. Her skin was on fire. A roaring pain coming from her stomach did not allow Kono any time to take a sold breathe. She was aware of the fact that she had been injured. Kono even made the quick realization that the blood she felt was her own, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to panic.

Eternally, Kono's thoughts were racing. She was terrified. But she was not able to drive those emotions to the surface.

Kono had heard about injured people going into a state of shock. Common cases were a result of too much blood loss. The most frequent cause was internal bleeding, a critical medical condition.

Was her lack of fear a result of shock as well? Her muscles were stiff, and her adrenaline was on high. Kono's body was physically hurting, but her brain hadn't quite caught up just yet. It was all too much to process.

"Help." Kono spoke. Her voice was groggily, almost as if something was blocking her airways. The simple work barely made it's way out. But after she did say it, Kono was exhausted.

The paramedic standing over her was trying to explain something to her, but every word escaped Kono's grasp. She couldn't keep her attention focused on just one thing. Everything was moving a mile a minute that only caused Kono to grow even more faint.

The man had now directed his statements towards someone who could actually comprehend his words. Kono could only pick up on some pieces of the dialogue. Her injuries were a main focus, as well as if it was safe to move her.

"Miss? Can you hear me?" The man had positioned his face to be right in the middle of Kono's vision. But, she was not concentrated on him. Through her barely open eyes, Kono spotted Steve standing a reasonable distance from her own location. Why was he so far away?

She needed him to be closer. Kono was scared, and Steve always somehow calmed her anxieties. Of course, this was an extreme situation, but it didn't matter. He was the only person she wanted near her. Steve would fix this.

Suddenly, Kono felt a hand reaching across her chest. Her seatbelt had been undone a long time before. Instead, they were trying to be careful while lifting her from the passenger seat. The whole process of being removed from the vehicle put incredibly strain on Kono's already delicate form. She tried to remain alert, but the only thing that seemed to help was to continue to focus on Steve.

Despite her best efforts, Kono lost the battle with consciousness.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

She had to be dead. Her appearance alone would have proved this theory correct.

Steve knew that the accident had been bad just by looking at it, but he never imagined she would appear looking as she did.

It was like a horror scene straight out of a movie set.

The same paramedic that had seen positioned in the car door was now carrying Kono like a doll. Her body was so weak and fragile. She was lying lifeless in the man's steady arms. Her arm was dangling, while her head was leaned back. Her shoulder length brunette hair was blowing in the cool Hawaiian breeze.

As the large crowd positioned behind then caught their first glimpse of the mysterious woman everyone was talking about, everything went silent. Steve wasn't sure if it was just in his head, but each and every person present on the scene seemed to freeze.

To those people, Kono was just another human being. They had no emotional attachment to her. If she were to die today, sure they would read about her unfortunate passing in the news, but that would be it. They would never think about this woman again. Her death would not have played any significant role in their normal lives.

For Steve, as well as the rest of Five-O, Kono's death would alter their universe. It would be another death for their Commander. Another tragedy Steve would be required to suffer through. It had become somewhat of a routine for him.

The most frightening aspect of Kono's appearance was the amount of blood found on the outside of her body. Steve would not allow himself to believe that her petite frame could even contain that much blood. It was everywhere.

Her mouth. Her forehead. It was traveling down her arm, reaching her fingertips before finally dripping to the cold, hard ground.

Steve was in disbelief by what his eyes were showing him. He turned his head, facing his partner. Danny's heart stopped. The look in his normally passive bass was now vulnerable and weak. It reminded Danny of a similar event that took place only a few years before.

Kono and Steve were constantly putting their lives in danger with very real expectations of not surviving the day. Every couple of months, one half of the couple was either shot or severely injured in another way. They were always appreciative of the time they did have together, but they were continuously waiting for the other shoe to fall.

Danny could only imagine what that felt like. What kind of pressure that placed on a relationship. No one ever wants to have to walk on eggshells while hoping to avoid a potentially fatal setting. Considering their line of work, those situations are hard to escape.

It felt like years before the paramedic arrived anywhere near Steve and Danny's location. He walked right past the two men, placing Kono's body on a waiting gurney. Steve stood in the background, scared to move. He was terrified to get anywhere close to her.

Steve was scared to touch his girlfriend.

All of the paramedics that had originally arrived on the scene were now occupied. They were all trying to save the young woman's life.

"Does anyone know this woman? What's her name?" One man standing over Kono called out. Danny looked at Steve, who was standing still. He was about to speak up to help before Steve did it himself.

"Um, Kono!" He stepped forward, looking directly over her body. This was the first opportunity he had to notice the large portion of glass stabbing her abdomen. "Her name is Kono Kalakaua." Steve answered as calmly as his nerves allowed him to.

"She's a cop. A rookie." His eyes never once left Kono's face. "She's a rookie." Steve swallowed.

The paramedic that had first asked the question was watching Steve as he spoke. "Okay." He nodded.

"She's only 26." Steve didn't even mean to say this. It was more for his own personal benefit. A method to believe that it wasn't her time yet. He needed to believe that she would not be taken away just yet. Kono had far too much life left in her to die from this.

Because of the difficult time she was experiencing with breathing, the paramedics attached her to a instrument that would assist her in the usually simple task. Without wasting much time, they lifted the gurney into the ambulance.

Steve and Danny both jumped into the vehicle, before it started its journey to the closest hospital. The paramedics were surely mistaken if they thought that these two men were going to leave Kono's side for a second.

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

**I hope you enjoyed, and as always, reviews would be greatly appreciated!**

**Also, I am not exactly sure how old Kono is supposed to be in the show, but I made a rough estimate for the purpose of the story. **

**Thanks, everyone!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! **

**I meant to have this chapter up yesterday, but I ran into a bit of a speed bump as far as inspiration goes, but it the direction of the chapter finally came to me after a while. **

**Enjoy! **

**SIGNS OF LIFE**

**CHAPTER 4**

_"She's a cop. A rookie." His eyes never once left Kono's face. "She's a rookie." Steve swallowed._

_The paramedic that had first asked the question was watching Steve as he spoke. "Okay." He nodded._

_"She's only 26." Steve didn't even mean to say this. It was more for his own personal benefit. A method to believe that it wasn't her time yet. He needed to believe that she would not be taken away just yet. Kono had far too much life left in her to die from this._

_Because of the difficult time she was experiencing with breathing, the paramedics attached her to an instrument that would assist her in the usually simple task. Without wasting much time, they lifted the gurney into the ambulance._

_Steve and Danny both jumped into the vehicle, before it started its journey to the closest hospital. The paramedics were surely mistaken if they thought that these two men were going to leave Kono's side for a second._

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Kono, still unconscious, was positioned in the middle of the ambulance on the gurney. One paramedic was pushing the vehicle to move as swiftly as possible, while the other examined her. His hands were pressed to Kono's abdomen, trying to keep pressure around the glass. The amount of blood already lost was dangerously high, and her body showed no signs of letting up any time soon. While performing this task, the frenzied paramedic continued to search for various supplies to stabilize her declining condition.

Danny and Steve remained quiet in the back of the ambulance. They were seated beside the gurney, waiting anxiously for their arrival at the hospital. Danny was still shaken up from the accident, but was not going to let it show. Physically, he was going to live.

He watched Steve in the corner of his eye. Steve had his elbows placed on his bouncing knee. His right hand was resting under his chin. His lips were sealed tight.

Every few minutes, Kono's blood pressure would drop, as did her heart rate. The paramedic mumbled commands to himself. He was trying to keep his steps organized within his head.

"Dammit!" The man cursed under his breath, pressing down harder on Kono's stomach. The blood exiting body seemed to increase by every second. There seemed to be no end.

"What is it?" Steve spoke up from his frantic state in the corner.

The paramedic was struggling to do several things at once. As Steve and Danny both leaned forward at his exclamation, he briefly studied the two men.

Danny knew that the man was looking for some type of introduction. "It's his wife." He stated. It might have been a lie, but Steve didn't even think twice about the statement. It was the only way they were going to get any kind of information from the medical professional.

"Her lung collapsed." He lifted his hand from its location to rip Kono's shirt at the neckline. It really didn't matter anyway. The t-shirt was destroyed from the measure of blood it had soaked up. The paramedic needed to get a better look at the wound. He was required to make a rapid decision about an alternative course of treatment. The only thing running through his thoughts were ways to keep her heart beating until arriving in the emergency room.

Through her torn shirt, Kono's bra was exposed. In normal circumstances, Steve would have cared that Danny was practically seeing his girlfriend in an intimate way, but it wasn't even a part of his thought process at this point. Her abdomen was stained a deep red color, specifically near the exact spot the glass had entered her tanned skin.

The amount of pressure on the paramedic's shoulders began to show on his panicked exterior. It became very clear to Steve and Danny as they observed him. He tried to compose himself before looking up at them.

"Do you want to help?" He asked. It was more of a rhetorical question.

Before even taking a chance to think, Steve jumped up. "What do you need me to do?" He couldn't stand sitting there silent for much longer. Steve needed to do something, something productive or he would lose his mind.

"I need you to keep pressure on the wound!" He instructed, guiding Steve's hand to the proper position. Steve followed him with every word.

His hands made contact with her abdomen, pushing down. Steve was startled by the way she felt at his initial touch. Her skin was ice cold. Freezing. Steve also took notice that her stomach was not moving up and down regularly as it would for a person with a normal breathing pattern. Her abdomen was practically still.

The paramedic stood up, searching through the medical cabinets filled with emergency equipment. Once he located what he desired, the man resumed his previous position on Kono's left side.

"Wait? What does that mean?" Steve's question cut into the air like a knife. "A collapsed lung." He nodded, holding his form, careful not to move. "What does that mean exactly?"

The medic removed his gloves, partially because of the amount of blood covering them. Also because he needed a sterile pair to execute his next task properly. "It basically means that air has built up in the around surrounding her lung, which restricts blood flow to the heart." He stated as he prepared his supplies. "It also means that if I don't release the air putting pressure on her body, her blood pressure is going to bottom out, causing her organs to fail." The paramedic really didn't have any kind of time to spend answering their questions.

Both men instantly shut their mouths. Which, if you really think about it, is not an easy thing to do considering the two people he was dealing with currently.

The man moved Kono's arm slightly, as well as pushing the material of her shirt to the side. "I have to insert a needle into the chest cavity to do that." As he said this, his hand was already holding a scalpel near her raw skin that had been previously clean to prevent any infection.

"In the ambulance?" Steve asked. He couldn't believe this was actually taking place before his very own eyes. The man was ready to perform a rather serious surgical procedure in a moving vehicle.

"Do you want her to die?" He questioned. When there was no answer, he turned his head to face the incision site again. A small opening was made, allowing the needle to be inserted without resistance.

Sitting against the hard wall, Danny watching as the process without argument. He also happened to notice Kono's hand hanging off the side of the gurney. It seemed to have fallen from her side during the chaotic ride. Tears started to form in his eyes, but Danny refused to let them fall. He ran his shaking hand over his face as he leaned forward in his seat. Without hesitation, Danny took Kono's hand in his own, holding it close to his face.

The rest of the long ambulance ride was met with silence. Kono's condition had stabilized but they all knew she was definitely out of the woods just yet.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

The vehicle finally came to a halt. The rear doors of the ambulance swung open, revealing a few waiting doctors. Steve and Danny jumped out of the ambulance first, to make room for the gurney. Once the wheels hit the ground, Kono was being rushing into the emergency room.

"Kono Kalakaua, 26 year-old female. Injured at the scene of a car crash. Numerous broken ribs. Emergency needle decompression performed at the scene." The paramedics began to inform the new team of her abundant injuries as the gurney was wheeled down the bustling hallway. "Possible head trauma. Blood pressure is stable."

This was the last statement Steve and Danny were able to overhear before Kono disappeared into another hallway blocked off by closed doors. Before they knew it, she was taken into surgery.

Both men stood silent for a while. They continued to watch the shut doors, almost waiting for Kono to walk out of them, unharmed. Steve's hands rested on his hips as he managed a breath.

A loud voice removed Steve from his daze. He turned slightly to face his partner. Neither one of them were sure of what to say next. Danny noticed that Steve's eyes had a glassy quality to them all of a sudden.

"You should probably get checked out." Steve pointed at Danny after taking in his appearance. From all of the commotion surrounding Kono, he had almost forgotten completely that Danny was involved in the accident as well.

"It's fine." He replied, touching his eyebrow. Steve shot him a glare. "I will."

Steve bit down on his lip before attempting to wipe his forehead. He quickly realized that his hands were disguised by Kono's blood.

"I need a minute." He spoke, holding his hands out in front of himself, elbow bent by his waist. Steve took an unsteady step. "I just need a minute to clean myself up." He turned in the opposite direction, hoping to encounter a nearby bathroom. Danny rotated on his heel, watching Steve's retreating figure.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

After a quick examination by the first doctor to recognize his minor injuries, Danny took a seat in the closest waiting room. His thoughts soon wandered to what was could possibly taking place in Kono's surgery as well as what Steve was currently doing.

Once he finally composed his thinking, Danny grasped the thought of having a very unfortunate conversation with Chin. Neither Steve nor Danny had any kind of time to dedicate to picking up their phone and make him aware of Kono's current condition.

"Kelly." Chin answered the phone. It was well past nine in the evening at this point. Danny assumed that he had arrived home several hours before to be with Malia after his day at work.

"Chin, it's Danny." He spoke from the uncomfortable seating options set up in the quiet hallways. Chin was seated at his kitchen table, following his dinner.

It didn't take much for Chin to realize something was wrong. Danny's tone was sympathetic, but why?

"Hey?" Chin replied. "What's going on?" Another voice could be heard of his end of the line. It had be Malia asking her husband a question.

"There was an accident, Chin." Danny's vision blurred from his tears. "Kono's hurt." His voice was simply a whisper now. He really did not want to have to break the news to her closest family. But who else would? No one knew about the accident beside Steve and Danny, but Danny was not going to allow his partner to perform the job. It just wouldn't be fair.

"How bad is it?" Chin asked immediately. He wasn't the kind of person to beat around the bush. This surely was not going to be the first time he did.

Danny looked around, clenching his jaw. "She's in surgery." Before either man said another word, the line went dead. Chin was pulling out of his driveway in seconds.

Danny pulled his phone away from his ear, looked down at the blank screen before closing it. He shook his head silently as he watched doctors and nurses roam around the long corridor.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Steve wandered aimlessly for a few minutes before entering the first bathroom he came by. As the door closed behind his back, Steve checked the entire span of the room to ensure no one else was there. He approached the door again, locking it.

He positioned his body in front of one of the many mirrors, placing his hands on the outer rim of the sink. His eyes were closed out of exhaustion. Once his eyes opened again, he stared at his reflection in disbelief. Steve's expression was tense and severe.

He lifted his hands from the edge of the sink to turn on the water. The cold water made contact with his red hands. Instantly, the blood began to leave his skin, changing the color of the water quickly. It was still so surreal to Steve that he was actually washing Kono's blood from his own skin.

When he finished, Steve shut the water off, causing the empty room to fall silent. He looked up, meeting his eyes in the mirror again. He could feel himself starting to become overcome with the build up emotion of the day. He attempted to keep it contained, but even Commander Steve McGarrett isn't that strong.

He broke down in the cold bathroom. A few rooms from where Kono was battling for her life.

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review, as always. **

**I think that this might just be my favorite chapter I've written for this story so far. Let me know what you think.**

**Thanks, everyone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, everyone! **

**I love seeing all of your reviews. They really encourage me to get these chapters up quicker. Enjoy!**

**SIGNS OF LIFE**

**CHAPTER 5**

_When he finished, Steve shut the water off, causing the empty room to fall silent. He looked up, meeting his eyes in the mirror again. He could feel himself starting to become overcome with the build up emotion of the day. He attempted to keep it contained, but even Commander Steve McGarrett isn't that strong._

_He broke down in the cold bathroom. A few rooms from where Kono was battling for her life._

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Chin hates hospitals.

The four white walls that surround him feel like a method of torture. Suffocation is actually the correct word to describe the feeling. The air is thick and cold. He instantaneously felt a sense of discomfort the moment you walk through the automatic doors.

As soon as he got the call, Chin ran out of his front door without saying a word to his concerned wife. His motorcycle was roaring down the empty roads before Malia got any chance to voice her objections.

It normally takes fifteen minutes for Chin to arrive at the entrance of the nearby hospital. This is only the case if he was following the legal traffic regulations. Chin was pulling up to parking lot in five. He had broken almost every law on his way there. Without even taking a second thought, Chin passed through every red light and stop sign he came across in his desperate pursuit to see his cousin.

His motorcycle doesn't even make a full stop before Chin is rushing towards the entrance. Running through the halls, Chin asks for directions. At his level of panic heightens, it becomes increasing hard to navigate the all too similar hallways. Every room is the same. Nothing really changes as you encounter different parts of the building. Death is floating in the air, an eerie feeling that starts to overtake everyone trapped between the walls.

Chin finally reaches the emergency room, and subsequently, the waiting room. This is where he discovers Danny. Chin steps towards the battered man, who stood at the sight of Chin standing there. Danny takes a brief moment to examine his appearance. It was a look of fear and desperation. It was a similar look that could be seen on another individual Danny knew.

The older man took a deep breath before sitting in the seat next to Danny's. It was silent for a while, where the only noise could be found from the phones ringing at the desk positioned across the room.

"Did you get yourself checked out?" Chin asked, looking straight ahead, avoiding any type of eye contact. He spoke in a way that sounded rehearsed. He had no intentions of allowing anyone to know his exact feelings.

"Yeah." Danny stated calmly. This should not be what their discussion consists of. Chin had a million questions, Danny knew that much.

Chin is normally a relatively quiet person, but this was a new extreme for the man. He looked down at his hands as curious people passed their seats. "Where's Steve?" He questioned. Chin had expected his cousin's boyfriend to be seated next to Danny. But once he arrived, Chin's theory was proven wrong.

"I don't really know." Danny shrugged. Steve had disappeared almost ten minutes prior. Danny was worried, but choose to leave his boss alone.

Since the two men had started working together they were able to establish boundaries to make their partnership run smoothly. Steve was never to be asked about his family or personal life. Danny never really followed that one.

Actually, Danny never really created any rules of his own. It was more of a one-sided thing. But Danny understood where his partner was coming from. Steve had been through unthinkable events that would easily scar anyone. He had realistic limits that no one should ever think about crossing.

Over time, both men developed a mutual respect for the other. Obviously, Danny respected Steve's former Navy experience, along with his strong leadership qualities, although he rarely agreed with his methods. But Steve, while he also respected Danny's skills as a detective, he mostly admired his great ability to balance his time with his daughter while juggling a dangerous career.

This was an idea that terrified Steve. Kono and himself had not yet had the children discussion. Both of them were extremely concentrated on their jobs that it never really came up in conversation. Was either of them really willing to make the required sacrifices needed when the time came? If the time were to come?

When Steve thought about himself with children, it scared him. For most of his life, he pushed people away, out of his life. After spending so many years in the service, he completely dismissed the idea of being a family man. He never even thought he would ever get the opportunity to dedicate the kind of time it takes to settle down with one woman. Until Kono.

Over time, she was able to change his thoughts about what he wanted to achieve in life without even realizing she was doing it. Sure, it was a major accomplishment to be a Navy SEAL, but that success doesn't fill the space in her heart where a true and honest relationship and family should be.

It killed Danny to know that one of the only people in the whole world that still mattered to Steve was being ripped from his fingertips. Danny seemed to be the only member of Five-O that was currently holding things together. Steve was hiding himself in a corner and Chin couldn't bring himself to say anything.

The silence had gone on long enough for Danny at this point. He decided that he would say something when Steve could finally be seen turning the corner. Danny noticed that his eyes were red and swollen looking. He must have been crying.

Steve took his place next to Chin, but the silence continued. The three men were far too wrapped in their own thoughts to start any exchange of words.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO **

Several hours passed. They still had not heard anything on Kono's surgery.

At this point, they were all becoming increasingly impatient. But, of course, no news is good news. At least that's what tried to believe.

Each of them found something to pass the time. Danny was tapping his foot incessantly against the unsympathetic floor. Chin was walking in circles, pacing as his thoughts raced. While Steve had resorted to biting his nails as he watched the clock. Time was ticking away.

Suddenly, a doctor exited the same doors Kono had disappeared through what felt like years ago. Steve recognized the doctor. He was the same one that was standing near the ambulance when it first arrived at the hospital.

This is it. This was the moment that would change everything. In thirty seconds, Steve would possibly be confronted with the news they were all dreading. Steve stood. Once he did so, Danny and Chin followed.

The doctor was removing his gloves when he looked up. A look in his eyes showed that he remembered Steve as well. He took several steps to reach their position.

They all tried to examine the man's expression. Hoping it would reveal some clues to what had just taken place in the operating room. Nothing. In the Navy, Steve knew personally that soldiers are trained in specific skills for their job position. He doubted it was much different for doctors when they are first acquiring their medical knowledge.

"Mrs. Kalakaua made it through surgery." The doctor finally spoke after much delay. A collective sigh could be heard after the statement. But they all had watched enough television to know that they was going to be a 'but' coming afterwards.

"She's going to be okay?" Danny quizzed. He couldn't take the unknown for much longer. His question spoke for Kono's cousin and boyfriend, who were simply waiting for a further explanation.

The surgeon tilted his head a bit, folding his arms over his chest. "Well, we did encounter some issues during the procedure," He paused. "Her body went through a lot of trauma which put her body under a lot of pressure."

"Is she going to be okay?" Steve's heart was caught in his throat as the man continued to talk. Danny was becoming frustrated. This wasn't a game; they just needed to know if their teammate was going to see the next sunrise, which at this point was just a few hours away.

"Because of the head injury she endured, Mrs. Kalakaua," Every time the doctor referred to Kono by her last name, something inside of him turned. It felt like the love of his life was just another body to this man. "She is currently unconscious. If she wakes up, it's going be a hard recover for her." The man offered a thin smile that didn't show any kind of sympathy for their pain. None of his words gave them any kind of comfort.

"If?" Steve swallowed.

The man standing across from them nodded. "With a brain injury it's never guaranteed that they will wake up after the operation." Steve wasn't sure how to interpret this statement.

"Okay." Chin narrowed his eyes. He was confused as well. "So what are we supposed to do now?" He asked.

"We wait." The surgeon replied calmly as if there was not a life hanging in the balance. His explanation seemed rehearse, something he had said to a million waiting families over a long career.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

After running through what seemed to be a never-ending list, Kono's surgeon described her injuries as four broken ribs, collapsed lung, broken leg, and brain trauma, along with numerous wounds that required stitches to close. The three men of Five-O were told that once their teammate was transferred to a room that they would be able to see her.

"You should go see her Steve." Danny declared.

Steve had been leaning back in his chair, trying to get comfortable. His eyes were closed, arms crossed over his chest until he heard Danny's statement.

"What?" Steve sat up straight, turning his head to face his partner.

Danny coughed, clearing his throat. "You should see Kono first." He said again.

"No." Steve shook his head. "Chin." His arm lifted in the man's direction.

Chin looked up from the floor. He nodded. It was his way of agreeing with Danny.

"Kono won't be able to surf." Steve was deep in thought before changing the topic entirely.

"What?" Danny was confused by his change of direction.

Steve knew that if Kono's entire world were to fall apart, she would always be able to find comfort in her surfing abilities. Even after her accident, the same accident that took out her knee. Surfing wasn't just a hobby for Kono. It was almost like a medication for every painful moment in her existence.

"Her leg is broken." Steve stated as he recalled her injury. Kono had a hundred other things wrong with her following the crash, but her leg was the only one that seemed to concern him at the time. "She can't surf." He looked down at his hands.

Chin was seated across from him. He understood where Steve was coming from, but Chin had decided hours ago to focus on being optimistic. "Don't worry about that, Steve. She'll figure it out." He looked directly at Steve, watching expression change from sadness to desperation. "Kono always does." Chin wanted to believe that as much as the next person.

"She shouldn't have to." Steve's voice was heavy. It almost sounded like a weight was lying directly on top of his chest. Making his desire to take just one real breath since the minute he saw Kono's fragile body an impossible task.

"Steve?" Danny wanted to say more, but it was the only thing he could accomplish. He could not believe Steve was doing this to himself. Danny had never seen this man so vulnerable. He was going to self-destruct if he went on like this for any longer.

"Kono was a surfer long before she was a cop." Steve stated. They all knew that this information was true. Being a cop was a second thought for Kono in a way. Of course she loved her job but everyone needed a way to escape.

Danny had Grace. Chin had Malia, and Steve, well Steve had Kono. But, for the most part, he usually kept his drama from work away from their home atmosphere. He usually took his anger and aggression out on the criminals. That was his thing. But they all knew that Kono relied on being a surfer.

"Steve, she's waiting to see you." Danny broke the quiet tension in the room.

Steve chuckled. "Kono's unconscious, Danny." The declaration left his mouth as a whisper. Too broken up to speak any louder. "She doesn't even that I'm here." His elbow rested on the armrest, while his hand was placed on his face. Steve resumed his position against the back panel of the less than sturdy chairs.

"It almost sounds like your giving up." Danny noticed. He examined Steve as he took in the accusation.

Steve's eyes focused on the desk across the hallway, but his vision blurred as he did. "Maybe I am." He shrugged.

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

**Reviews would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, everyone.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! **

**First, I want to thank everyone for sticking with this story, it really means a lot to me. **

**Oh! If you haven't read the first chapter to my new story 'The Hourglass' please make sure you check that out. Thanks.**

**Enjoy!**

**SIGNS OF LIFE**

**CHAPTER 6**

_"Steve, she's waiting to see you." Danny broke the quiet tension in the room._

_Steve chuckled. "Kono's unconscious, Danny." The declaration left his mouth as a whisper. Too broken up to speak any louder. "She doesn't even know that I'm here." His elbow rested on the armrest, while his hand was placed on his face. Steve resumed his position against the back panel of the less than sturdy chairs._

_"It almost sounds like your giving up." Danny noticed. He examined Steve as he took in the accusation._

_Steve's eyes focused on the desk across the hallway, but his vision blurred as he did. "Maybe I am." He shrugged._

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Steve was following the long corridor, trying to find Kono's room. Room 312. As he paced himself, the numbers written on the signs began to rise. Eventually, Steve was standing directly in front of Kono's door. There was a window that would allow him to peak in, but he could not bring himself to.

His hand rested on the doorknob for a long minute. He was shaking. Finally, his wrist turned, as did the handle. The door slowly crept open, providing Steve with a full view of the room.

His feet remained glued to the floor in the doorway as Steve inspected the scene.

Kono's hospital bed was positioned in the center of the rather small room. The bed was of decent size, but because of her petite figure, Kono looked as if the sheets were going to swallow her. There was a couch on the left wall, along with a chair placed beside her bed. Steve noticed the several machines locate in the room. In a routine pattern, the equipment made varying noises that would aggravate anyone.

Steve took small steps to approach the bed. As he stood over her, he studied her fragile image.

Kono had a dozen stitches sealing the gash directly above her eyebrow. Her lower lip was split and it appeared swollen. Her leg had been put in a cast following the surgery. A pillow was placed underneath it, supporting her leg. Even though he was not able to see it because of her hospital gown, Steve assumed that a bandage had been wrapped to protect her broken ribs.

Her face was pale. It was a strange site for Steve to see because of her usually tanned skin. Steve recognized that Kono's breathing was heavy. An oxygen mask was resting on her nose and mouth to hopefully correct that issue.

After taking the necessary time he needed, Steve sat in the chair next to Kono's bed. He moved his arm to reach for Kono's hand before pulling away. His hand found its place on his hard cheek as he watched her still form.

"What happened, Kono?" He questioned in a whisper, nodding. Steve wished to say more, but every time he tried, the words got caught in his throat.

He could not accept how the day had turned out. They woke up together. They even ate breakfast together before arriving at headquarters in the same vehicle. When the case first came in, Steve made sure to kiss her goodbye. It wasn't a long kiss. It was quick. They did imagine that it might be their last. Their last kiss was almost like a routine, something they expected to do forever.

He had talked her to just moments before the accident occurred. Danny was teasing her about their sex life. In that instance, Steve was pleased to not be in the car with his partner. But now that he had a chance to reflect on the events of the day, he would have taken Kono's place without even thinking twice.

"I should probably sit here and beg you to open your eyes. I could beg you to wake up." Steve leaned forward, running his fingers through the hair resting at her shoulders. "But you're too stubborn to listen." He released a stiff laugh, playing with the ends of her hair. His hands made their way to graze her icy cheek.

Steve sat in Kono's room for hours. He turned on the television, but set the volume to mute. He watched the news channel, but listened to Kono's breathing instead.

At some point during the night, Steve fell asleep in his chair. Danny and Chin remained in the waiting room, existing in comfortable silence. Both men decided that after a certain amount of time they would check on Kono themselves. Well, that time had long since expired.

Chin and Danny made their way to Kono's room. Once they arrived, the men found their boss sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Danny looked at Kono for a moment, feeling the weight of guilt affect him again. He tried to awaken Steve by grabbing his shoulder.

"McGarrett? Steve?" Danny stated.

Suddenly, Steve jumped from his sleep, but it wasn't just from Danny's rude awakening. Steve was having a nightmare and they all knew it. Danny looked at Chin, who was still standing in the doorway. The expression on Chin's face showed Danny that he was concerned too.

"You should go home Steve." Chin requested.

Steve turned his head quickly. A gesture that almost looked like he was checking to make sure Kono was still alive. Once his worries were calmed he ran his hand over his face, nodding.

"Can I have a minute?" Steve asked, moving closer to Kono's bed.

Danny and Chin nodded before making their way into the hallway. Steve didn't start speaking until the door was sealed shut.

"You better keep fighting, baby." He grabbed her hand. Steve brought her hand to his mouth, kissing it.

He closed the door behind him as he exited the room. Steve was met with Danny and Chin's stern expressions, but he dismissed them.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Steve and Danny returned to the waiting room, allowing Chin the chance to see his cousin.

Steve had not said a word since they returned to their seats. Danny was concerned, but was not sure if it was really his place to step in. he knew that if Steve wished to talk, he would.

"Danny?" Steve finally spoke. "What really happened?" Steve had not received the real details of the case yet.

In a normal situation, that would be his job. As soon as the case was finished, the team was supposed to recall every event that led them to answers. But because the crash involved two people he loved, Steve let the lines blur and because of this he could not perform his job.

Danny shook his head. He was not strong enough to tell the story again. He had already explained the incident to Chin. Twice.

"It doesn't matter anymore. How it happened doesn't really matter Steve." Danny replied, swallowing.

Steve shot Danny a demanding look. "It does to me." Steve was pleading with his partner.

Danny proceeded to describe the accident for a third time in two hours to help Steve understand. Following the explanation, Steve was silent. Danny assumed that he was taken the time to comprehend the information he had just been told.

"There's a ring." Steve stated abruptly. The statement came out of nowhere, but it had to be something Steve had spent a reasonable amount of time thinking about.

Danny was confused. He arched his eyebrows as he began to loosen his tie. "What?" He questioned.

Steve clenched his jaw as he rubbed his hands together. "There's a ring Danny." He paused briefly. "I was going to propose." Steve directly his eyes at the floor. He was ashamed for making the confession in the first place.

It was months before the accident when Steve made the decision to propose. He didn't think much about how he was going to do it. Steve knew that Kono would appreciate a simple proposal. Neither one of them had ever been known to take part in flashy events. But in order to so he would have to purchase a ring first.

"What?" Danny asked, shocked. "To Kono?" This statement earned Danny a slap to the back of his head.

Once he recovered from the hit, Danny tried his best to understand. "When?"

"I bought the ring weeks ago." Danny's jaw dropped. "I meant to do it, but it was never the right time. I was going to do it last night, but," Steve paused. He began to shift in his set, letting Danny know that he was uncomfortable.

"But the accident." Danny finished Steve's statement. He sensed the pain in Steve's voice.

"Yeah." Steve confirmed before the room fell silent once again.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Chin stood outside of Kono's room once Steve and Danny left. He made sure he called Malia to let her known about the current situation. He had rushed out of the house so fast that she couldn't ask any questions.

He had been in his cousin's room for almost an hour before he finally approached her bed. During that time he just roamed around the room in circles.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, cuz." Chin felt like it was his job to apologize for her injuries.

Growing up, Chin was Kono's hero. Even though they were only cousins, their relationship was more of the brother, sister kind. Kono always wished to do whatever he did. She admired his skills as a cop, and she loved how loyal he was to anyone he cared about.

"When you joined Five-O, I thought I could prevent something like this." Chin allowed his eyes to look her up and down. Her current state was enough to justify his statement. "But I can't."

Chin watched Kono lay still for a moment. He was lost in his own thoughts to say anything else. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Chin noticed Steve and Danny standing in the hallway, looking into the room.

Chin stood up in his seat before leaving Kono's side.

"Hey, I have to head home. I'm supposed to have Grace tomorrow." Danny explained as the three men stood outside of their young teammate's room.

Both Steve and Chin nodded at Danny's statement.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to?" Steve asked. "I mean, after today." He was referring to Danny's involvement in the accident.

Danny narrowed his eyes. He understood where his partner was coming from, but he needed to see Grace. "I need to spend as much time with my daughter. Especially after today."

After the day from hell, Danny just wanted to hold his daughter to make sure things were still normal in his life. But they weren't. If Kono died, things would forever be changed. The entire day was so surreal.

Because of the unpredictability of their job, the members of Five-O had to find constants in the lives. Danny always found comfort in knowing no matter what happened with the criminals, his daughter would continue to love him. But Steve's constant might lose her life. And where would that leave him? Danny couldn't help but wonder.

Chin and Steve both agreed that they were going to stay into the morning, taking turns sitting by Kono's bedside.

The tense, but friendly conversation continued for a few minutes before a loud beeping noise could be heard. All of them knew where the source of the noise was.

It was one of Kono's machines alerting the world that she was slipping away.

"We need help in here!" Someone screamed as they all rushed into the room.

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was more of a filler for the next few chapters than anything else. **

**As always, please review! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, guys!**

**First of all, let me start by saying how sorry I am about the delay in this story. School has been absolutely insane, and whenever I did have a free minute to write, I lost my inspiration. **

**I know that this chapter is going to be a little rocky, but I hope you enjoy!**

**SIGNS OF LIFE**

**CHAPTER 7**

_The tense, but friendly conversation continued for a few minutes before a loud beeping noise could be heard. All of them knew where the source of the noise was._

_It was one of Kono's machines alerting the world that she was slipping away._

_"We need help in here!" Someone screamed as they all rushed into the room._

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Six days. It had been six days since the accident. One hundred, forty-four hours had passed.

Steve watched the clock as the machine breathing for Kono filled the silence. The noise was constant and intimidating.

Nothing had changed. Kono had not opened her eyes. She had not breathed on her own in days. She had not smiled. She had not laughed.

Steve could barely even remember what Kono's laugh sounded like.

He refused to leave her side. He lived in her hospital room. He even consumed the hospital food. It didn't matter that the meals were horrible. Steve didn't care about that.

Danny and Chin tried to force him to go home. They knew that their efforts were useless. Steve was not going to leave until Kono's condition improved. Steve needed her to show that she was still fighting. He needed to know that she was going to come home.

Suddenly, the door began to creep open. Steve's breath caught in his throat as he turned to face the person entering the hospital room.

"Get out, Mary." He growled.

Mary examined her brother. His hair was slightly disheveled. He had bags under his eyes, which she assumed were bloodshot from crying.

"That's not very nice." Mary smiled a little, teasing. "Considering you haven't called me in weeks." She approached his chair, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I've been busy." He spoke with a pain in his voice.

He leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees. Mary watched as his thumb stroked Kono's cheek.

She couldn't watch this for much longer. It was breaking her heart to see him this vulnerable.

"Come on, big brother." Mary leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "You owe me lunch."

Mary stood beside him, holding out her hand. He looked at Kono briefly before looking up at his sister. The hurt and desperation in his eyes and on his face was something she had only seen a few times before.

Steve took her hand. Mary squeezed his, hoping to comfort him.

She quickly understood just how much he needed her there.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

The food was disgusting. But the siblings didn't talk about that.

Steve didn't talk much, even when Mary questioned him. She knew that her brother was never one for words and communication. But this silence was taking that fact to a new extreme.

"Have you gone home?" She asked as she took a bite of her food.

Steve shook his head, leaning back in his chair.

Mary wasn't sure what she was allowed to say. No matter what she said, Steve would deal with his emotions on his own time and at his own pace. Over the past couple of months, Steve rarely called her, but Mary didn't blame him. He had a lot of his plate.

"You can't do this, Steve. It's not healthy."

"I'm fine." He lied.

"You're not fooling anyone." Mary accused.

He clearly didn't like her statement.

"What do you want me to do?" Steve questioned. He raised his eyebrow, awaiting her answer.

Steve did not know what to do. He couldn't keep himself busy with work. Danny and Chin had already banned him from headquarters. Usually, whenever he had free time, Steve spent it with Kono. They would simply enjoy each other's company. Nothing special.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "You can't stay here forever."

But Steve knew that Kono would not respond is he were to speak to her. He needed to hear her voice to keep him going. He wouldn't make it without her. They all knew that much.

It terrified Steve just how much he loved Kono. He had never expected his life to change so drastically in such a short amount of time. He was never the kind of person that believed in romance or a lasting relationship.

Things had surely changed.

Steve could easily imagine Kono in his future. She was the only person he could imagine spending the rest of his complicated life with. He dreamed about putting a ring on her finger. He couldn't wait to see her walking down the aisle, meeting him at the altar to commit their lives to each other. Surely, she would look absolutely breathtaking in a simple way that only Kono could. Children were not something Steve had never truly thought about because of his lifestyle, but if the time were to come, he would love to share that experience with Kono.

"I can't go home. If she dies, and I'm not here," He pauses not allowing himself to finish that thought, the idea too painful to consider.

Mary could feel the tears coming, but she wouldn't let them fall. She came back to Hawaii to support her brother through an upsetting time. She couldn't break down. She had to help him. Over the years, Steve had done everything in his power to protect her. Every time she needed him, he never hesitated. Not once.

When she answered Danny's call, Mary knew it could only be about one thing.

The silence dragged on as they continued to eat their meal. Mary's curiosity was eating at her as Steve played with his thumbs.

"What happened?" She finally gave in.

He sighed. "I'm sure Danny already told you." Steve barked.

Mary figured that he was going to be mad about her randomly showing up, but Danny had the right intentions. If he did not have a head full of worry and fears, Steve would see that.

Mary shook her head. The exact phone call being discussed actually didn't last very long at all. Danny really didn't have to say much. Steve needed her.

Even if he would never admit it.

"He told me there was an accident." She clarified, nodding.

Instantly, Steve thought back to first seeing Kono's body being carried to the ambulance. No sign of any life left in her frail figure.

"There was a lot of blood." Steve started, recalling that particular sight. He spoke with a blank look in his eyes.

"She can't die." He whispered.

"She won't" Mary challenged.

"No, she _can't_ die, Mary." He repeated, emphasizing his words. "I can't love someone else like this." Steve confessed.

Mary always knew that Steve and Kono's relationship was serious, but had never realized the impact Kono had made on her brother's life.

Mary didn't interrupt. Partly because she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was almost convinced that her hearing was deceiving her.

His admission was brutally honest, yet heartbreaking for his sister to hear.

He was giving up. He was going to quit. Or maybe he already had.

Steve was already thinking about the kind of life he would lead after Kono left him. He had lost all hope. Mary was pretty positive that Kono was still alive in a nearby room. Steve had already lost sight of any chance of survival.

Mary quickly realized that Steve had never experienced anything different. Every time someone he loved became sick or injured, they died. This vulnerability and weakness in his thoughts was not because he doubted Kono's strength.

Steve had never seen anyone live.

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Steve felt a piece of himself die every time he walked into Kono's room. She never moved. Nothing changed. The stillness scared him. He sat in the same seat each time, like a predictable routine.

"Mary came to see you." He laughed under his breath. "It took a car crash for her to visit us. Can you believe that?" Steve watched her face, hoping for some type of response. Nothing.

He sat beside her bed for hours on end as the machines continued to beep.

"I have something for you." He waited again before reaching into his pocket.

Steve held in his hand the engagement ring that had been haunting him for far too long. He examined the jewelry for a minute before slipping it on her finger slowly.

It was exactly where it needed to be.

Of course, this was not how he wanted to give her the ring. He envisioned it being romantic and a special moment that Kono remembered. Personally, Steve didn't need any of that. The only thing that mattered to him was confirmation that she wished to spend the rest of her life with him.

"I've been carrying that around forever." He admitted. "I meant to do it before any of this happened. I wanted to tell you how much you matter. How much you've changed my life."

Steve paused, struggling for words to express his feelings.

He had a whole speech planned that sounded perfect in his head, but didn't really seem to fit with their current situation.

"I want to spend the rest of my life protecting you. I want you to marry me." Steve confessed as he lowered his head, trying to hide his tears even though no one else was within a hundred feet of the room.

A few moments passed. Steve cried.

Just as he was about to move from his chair, Steve heard a whimper. It was a noise quiet enough that it could have easily been missed. A noise full of pain and aching.

Steve looked up.

For the first time in six days, Kono was conscious. Her eyes were open, and Steve swore that he had never seen them look prettier.

Six days had passed. It had been six days since the accident. Just over one hundred, forty-four hours had been lost, but that no longer matter.

No words were said. They didn't need them.

**TO BE CONTINUED. **

**OMG! What's going to happen now? As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	8. Chapter 8

**SIGNS OF LIFE**

**CHAPTER 8**

_Steve looked up._

_For the first time in six days, Kono was conscious. Her eyes were open, and Steve swore that he had never seen them look prettier._

_Six days had passed. It had been six days since the accident. Just over one hundred, forty-four hours had been lost, but that no longer matter._

_No words were said. They didn't need them._

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Her arms felt like rubber. She wouldn't be able to move her legs even if she tried. Kono could hear a faint noise in the distance. She couldn't exactly register where the noise was coming from. Her eyelids were heavy as she struggled to open them. Even a movement that insignificant sent a sudden pain down her side.

The pain was excruciating and her head was pounding. She felt like her entire body had just been run over a thousand times over.

As her eyes opened, revealing the world she had not seen in, well, she really wasn't sure how long it had been.

Kono scanned the room, taking in her strange surroundings before stopping on the man sitting beside her. He was slumped in the chair. She couldn't see his face as it rested in his hands.

She was confused. As hard as she tried, Kono could not recall her last memory before waking up in this moment. It physically hurt to think about anything.

She wanted to call out to him, but anything she could manage didn't really sound like much. The pain building in her throat was far too much to overcome. Her desire to speak would have to wait until the stinging subsided.

Luckily, Steve looked up before she attempted the task again.

He looked shocked and shaken. He stared for a moment before sitting up straighter.

"Kono? Can you hear me?" He questioned.

Steve looked at Kono, then at the closed door, expecting someone to interrupt at any moment. He continued this motion for several minutes.

He watched her face. Studying her expression to help decipher her thoughts. She sank slightly in her position as her features wrinkled in pain.

"My head hurts." She swallowed.

"I know. You're okay." It took Steve a minute to respond.

He leaned forward, touching her cheek before tracing the line of her bruised jaw. She flinched as he did so.

"Do you know who I am? What's my name?" He interrogated.

Confusion immediately registered on her face. Steve was positive she had forgotten him. He remembered the doctors discussing a brain injury that could make her a completely different person.

What if she had forgotten him? It had been hard enough to watch her lay in this bed. He could not exist in a world where Kono didn't remember his name or the life they shared. This fear, his worst fear, was an extremely real possibility. It's something you hear about all the time. People wake up after days or weeks and can not recall anything from before the event that had put them there in the first place.

Considering all of the horrible things that had taken place in his life, Steve was praying that he would not be punished in that way. He could handle almost anything, but being forgotten by _her _was surely not one of them.

"What kind of question is that?"

He waited. So did she.

He was terrified. She was she.

"I need you to answer the question, okay?" He requested.

"Steven McGarrett." Kono replied quickly before his pleading continued any farther.

"Thank you." He whispered as he lowered his head once more.

The softest of sighs could be heard throughout the room. Steve felt the world lift off of his shoulders. She was back. Kono was awake and she remembered him.

Kono felt a similar sting return as she moved. She lifted her arms with the small amount of strength she did have. She was able to finally see the injuries that were causing her such agony. Her leg was in a cast and her arms were covered with bruises and deep cuts. Her nose crinkled at the sight. The varying colors of the bruises were almost sickening.

But something else caught her eye. It was sparking. It was different. She was almost positive that it had not been there before.

"Steve?"

"Yeah?" His head lifted to meet her eyes.

Kono's left arm was hovering above the rest of her body. He noticed that her figures were shaking. Her brown eyes were fixated on her hand. One finger in particular.

"Why is there a ring on my finger?" Kono asked as her thumb grazed the band of the ring. It was gorgeous.

Steve watched her examine the piece of jewelry. He smiled at the sight. He wasn't ready to pour his heart out once again. He had already done just that more times in the last few days than any other time in his life.

"We can talk about that later." He wanted to propose properly, but it could wait.

Kono looked at the ring a few times before allowing her tired arm to drop to her side. Her energy was being stolen by holding it up anyway.

She didn't challenge his statement. She was too tired to that.

"My head hurts." She repeated as her exhaustion begins to overtake her.

"I know."

**HAWAIIFIVEO&&HAWAIIFIVEO**

Steve decides that he could watch her sleep forever. He could sit by her bedside for the rest of the day, in silence, without thinking twice about the fact. He would allow himself to do so before he realizes that Danny and Chin have no idea that Kono has woken up.

He kisses Kono's forehead before exiting the room. Steve walks towards the waiting room before sitting in the uncomfortable chairs. He couldn't wait to be in his own home. His own bed sounds like heaven at the moment. He wants so badly to wake up to Kono again. His arms wrapped around her tiny waist as breathes into his chest.

"Kono's awake." He revealed as the ringing stopped.

The line was silent for a while, but Steve wasn't going to say anything.

"I'll be right there." Chin finally spoke.

The call ended just as quickly as it began.

**TO BE CONTINUED.**

**I am aware that this chapter is incredibly short compared to the others, but there was no other place to end it without it becoming way too long. I promise the next chapter will be longer. **

**Reviews, please? **


	9. Chapter 9

Please don't kill me, okay? I am seriously so sorry for the lack of updates. I didn't even realize it, but it's been almost two months since I've updated this story. School and life has been so incredibly crazy for me lately, but things have finally started to slow down which is good for my writing.

Once I started this chapter, I remembered just how much I love and miss writing this story. This is by far the story I am most proud of and I really hope you agree.

Enjoy!

**Signs Of Life **

**Chapter 9**

Her eyes watched the television show currently playing as the machine beside her continued its incessant beeping. At this point, Kono assumed that it must have been at least a day since she had first opened her eyes. Since then, a few doctors, who had explained that it would be a while before she could be released, examined her.

It had only been twenty fours hours since she opened her eyes, but to Kono it felt like longer. Danny and Chin had both come by to see her, but no one really knew exactly what to say. She watched as Danny examined her body several times. She could see the guilt contained within his eyes. A part of her wanted so badly to heal, that way he would have no reason to blame himself.

Kono didn't blame him. He had to know that. None of this was his fault. There was a reason why they called them accidents.

She recognized quickly that Chin was going to be the nagging family member. Every chance he got, he was asking her if she needed something. Food, doctors, someone to talk to. His behavior was driving her crazy. She could barely decipher her feelings for herself. How was she supposed to talk to someone about them?

Kono knew that Chin was just trying to help her and it was coming from a caring place, but it didn't make it any less annoying.

Even though he had been the one there when she had first woken up, Steve had been relatively silent since then. She had known him long enough to realize that revealing his feelings was not something he did or enjoyed. When she had found him sitting at her bedside, they didn't talk much. Steve watched her, looking grateful to see her eyes open. At the time, she was aware of the amount of time that had passed since the accident. She had been unconscious for six days.

She could remember a time almost a year before where Steve had been seriously injured. He had been shot while investigating a drug ring and was in the hospital for days before his condition improved. She was a wreck the entire time. She couldn't think about anything or anyone but the man she loved dying. The whole situation confused her, and she dedicated a great deal of time trying to make sense of it.

After going through that, Kono knew that she never ever wanted to experience it again. The thought was stupid considering their profession, but it was something she often dreamed about. A relationship with Steve where they did not have to worry about the very real possibility of dying. She didn't want to have to live like this forever.

Danny and Chin had both told her that Steve had sat by her bed for a majority of that time. Six days and he had not gone home once. She hated herself for not waking up sooner. After everything he had endured in his life, she hated that she had put him through this too.

He would sit with her when her doctors performed their tests, but he never said anything. Silence had always been something he had done well, but it was starting to worry her.

The strong wind outside her window was loud enough to drown out the voices on the small television mounted on the wall. She listened to the pounding rain as it fell. It had been a few hours since anyone had been in to see her, and she had to admit that she was kind of enjoying the silence.

Even with the medication the hospital had provided her, it seemed as if every muscle in her entire body was constantly aching. There had already been times where she wanted to cry because of the pain. Through her career, she had been shot on multiple occasions, but this pain was absolutely excruciating and she wasn't sure how to handle it. Whenever someone was around, she felt the need to hide it. Almost as a punishment for lying, the pain from her injuries only seemed to intensity whenever she told someone that she wasn't hurting.

Kono tried to understand why she was doing it. Why she couldn't talk to her team, her ohana, about how she was trying feeling. The pain she felt every time she pulled in a breath.

Every time she tired to move, the wires leaving her arms got in the way, frustrating her greatly. She had bruises covering her arms from the insane amount of needles the hospital had inserted into her sensitive skin. She had not yet seen her face, but wasn't sure that it was covered in wounds closed with stitches. Her fingers traced over them a million times a day, checking to make sure they were still there.

With everything considered, she was going to live. Her doctors wanted to keep her evaluation, but Kono knew that this accident was going to change everything. It was definitely going to leave some scars. Both physically and mentally.

Suddenly, the door leading into her room started to open slowly. She waited to see who was holding the handle before making an assumption of whom it actually was. It surprised Kono to see Mary standing behind the door, closing it behind her.

Steve had told her that his sister had taken the first flight to Hawaii after hearing of the accident, but Mary had not been in to see her yet. Until now.

Kono had been around Steve's sister many times. Even before they were together, Mary would come to visit and the two women enjoyed having another girl to discuss stuff with. Over the years, they had developed an easy friendship. They didn't talk much, but when they did it always made for a pleasant conversation.

"Hi." Mary smiled softly as pulled the chair away from the wall, moving it towards the bed in the center of the room.

Kono smiled back even though it hurt. The skin between her eyebrows pulled as she winced from the action.

"You're in pain." Mary concluded. How could she know, Kono wondered. She had been able to hide it from everyone. Her undercover skills coming in handy, but Mary had managed to figure it out in a matter of seconds.

Kono swallowed before shifting her body slightly, pain shooting up her back. "I'm fine." She lied again.

"You're a horrible liar." Mary laughed slightly. She sat down in the chair before leaning back against it.

"Whatever."

Kono focused her attention on the TV again. The show had changed since the last time she looked. The channel was now playing some classic movie that she had seen a few dozen times. Actually, Kono was pretty sure she could recite every word of the script at this point.

"I'm glad you're okay." Mary broke up the silence. Kono didn't look at her though. "Steve's glad you're okay."

The mention of Steve caused Kono to look at the ring on her finger. She had noticed for the first time only a few minutes after opening her eyes. Even though she wanted to, they had not talked about it yet. She wasn't sure when it had been put there. She wondered if he had put it on because of the accident and not because he actually wanted to commit his life to her.

She found herself hoping it was for the latter.

"He's been broken so many times." Mary started. Kono watched her expression intensely. She assumed they were talking about the one thing they had in common besides their gender. Steve.

Mary thought about the conversation she had had with her him the day before. In the cafeteria of the hospital. It surprised her by just how much he revealed. The food was horrible and her brother was broken but she had realized so much about the man she grew up with in that moment. And now, she was sitting next to woman her brother would probably die for. Mary wasn't sure what she should say next, but the words keep leaving her mouth before she could process them.

"He's been broken so many times." Mary repeated after clearing her throat of the lump developing in it. "First it was our mom," She stopped herself. This conversation was not supposed to get personal or emotional, but she now knew that it was going to get there. "Then dad." Mary shook her head at the memory, remembering the man that had tried his best to raise her and Steve.

Kono listened closely. Steve never wants to talk about his parents and she respects it, but still finds herself curious of what they were like.

"So, you can't leave him." Mary ordered. She had seen herself torn down so many times it honestly hurt to think about. She had seen him at his worst and after everything; she knew that he still had not recovered fully from a lot of it. He probably never would, but Mary knew that she couldn't see him like she did the day before in that cafeteria. "If you leave him. I will never forgive you." She knew that it sounded harsh, but she needed to protect the man that had done everything for her. Even when he couldn't do anything for himself.

Kono straightened her back, waiting for the pain, but it never came. She stared directly at the woman sitting in front of her before speaking. "I'm not going anywhere." She promised.

In the moment she truly wanted to believe her own promise, but it was hard to ignore the fact that in a few months someone on the team would probably be injured. It could be any of them. Steve. Danny. Chin. There was a very real possibility that it would be her life on the line. Again.

Mary nodded as the tears welled up in her eyes. "Good." She managed to say even when her voice cracked.

Kono turned her head a few times, looking between Steve's sister and the movie playing on the television screen. "You want to watch a movie?" She asked with a smirk.

"I'd love to." Mary nodded.

To Be Continued.

**I want to say thank you to everyone that has followed and reviewed this story. It really means the world to me. I had different plans for this chapter, but my fingers decided to type something else. I hope you enjoyed this one, and I promise I will not take another two months for chapter eleven!**

**Reviews, please?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Yes." Kono whispered as Steve quietly approached her bed.

It had been exactly two weeks since her accident and a week since she had opened her eyes. Things were looking up, the doctors were finally ready to send her home after countless days of testing. It scared her to think about the kind of physical therapy she would have to go through because of her leg, but she knew that she could not stay in this bed anymore.

The hospital made her uncomfortable. She had always hated it her. It never mattered if she was the patient or if she was visiting someone who was the patient, Kono hated hospitals. It was a simple fact. One she was sure many would agree with. Anytime she walked down the endless hallways, she could not stop herself from thinking about the amount of people that could be dying behind closed doors.

Kono watched as Steve's eyebrows rose, showing his confusion. She wanted to laugh at his expression, but stopped herself from doing so. He took the final step towards her before sitting down on the edge of the bed. It sank a bit under his weight.

He was wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Even though she had seen him in clothes other than cargo pants before, it was still strange to see him in that way. It was almost funny. He didn't seem entirely comfortable wearing anything besides his boots and a Kevlar vest.

"I'll marry you." She nodded with a smile. Her thumb played with band on her left hand as she spoke.

The topic of marriage had never come up between them. They had only been together for a year before the accident, but Kono was pretty sure she wanted this. She wanted him. Forever. Of course, she was still a rookie and she was still learning, while he was a Navy SEAL with the world's greatest training under his belt, but they made it work. Kono knew that she had never in her life felt something like she did with him. She couldn't fathom the idea of spending her life with anyone but him.

"I never asked." Steve stated.

"I know." She shrugged, but regretted the action when she realized that the pain had been worse today than it had been the day before. She didn't care though. This was a good moment, and nothing would mess it up. "I'm still saying yes."

This was not how she had imagined herself accepting a proposal from the man she loved. In actuality, they really had never been a proposal. There was just a ring, on her finger, and it changed everything.

"Okay." Steve smiled. He was glad they could skip over the long, boring speech he would have to make. Their relationship had always been unconventional, why change anything now?

….

Three weeks since being released from the hospital, but it seemed like much longer since she had accepted Steve's proposal. Her life had turned into a complete mess since the accident. The pain and the nightmares were terrifying, no matter how many times she tried to ignore that they were happening. She found that her crutches were becoming increasingly annoying even though she was doing her best to adjust to using them. When she had busted her knee in high school, she had been ordered to use them then, but for some reason, the crutches seemed to bother her more now.

The weeks of physical therapy she had completed so far had been hell. The pain was paralyzing anytime she tried to move and the exercises weren't even that had. If she were in her normal physical condition, she could probably do them in her sleep. All of the doctors told her that a full recovery was entirely possible, but found herself wondering just how much time and effort would be needed to reach that goal. It seemed too hard. Her leg was still causing just as much now as it did before. Everything seemed impossible to Kono at this point.

Gradually, her stitches had been removed. Her fingertips traced the healed wound over her eyebrow that had now scarred. She often examined herself in the mirror and would lift the bottom of her shirt to rest just under her breasts, revealing the skin of her stomach. The scar remaining from the place where the piece of glass had been taken out constantly reminded her of the moment their car had made impact with another.

Visions and nightmares of the accident haunted her even when her eyes were open. They were always the same. Never changing. Her screams were horrifying as the glass shattered. She could see her arm reaching for Danny, but losing strength just before touching his arm. Their car flipped endlessly as did the beautiful Hawaii scenery. Everything had been turned upside down as her head was smashed from side to side. She could feel her eyes closing as the smell of gasoline burned the inside of her nose. Danny said her name, and every time, she blacked out before she could call out to him.

Everyone wanted to know how she was handling things, but she was not ready to talk about. Her thoughts constantly raced whenever she thought about it. The questions from her family were hard to avoid as they refused to take a hint. She wasn't ready yet, and no on understood.

Waking up in the hospital, the first few days had been pretty easy considering everything. She honestly believed that she would be fine once she was able to return home. Her theory was proven largely incorrect once she had taken the time to realize that she had not slept in days. Obviously, she wasn't stupid enough to believe that she wouldn't struggle at all. She knew that the first few days would be changing and an adjusting period, but now three weeks had passed, and she felt like she had been pushed off of the world's highest cliff. Everything had turned into chaos and she had not been ready for any of it.

Through all of it, Steve had been relatively quiet. She assumed that he was simply allowing her the time she needed to heal, but he noticed. He had never been a heavy sleeper, so it was quite impossible for Kono to leave the bed without him noticing. He checked the clock every time it happened and realized that it was quickly getting worse. The first time she had woken in the middle of the night, it only happened once or twice. But now, Steve felt like a single night was full of at least a dozen interruptions. And if she wasn't getting up, she was tossing around endlessly, unable to close her eyes and relax.

Her leg was broken and everything had somehow turned into an impossible task. Kono knew that surfing was ruled out, but Steve had found her watching the waves several times before. He didn't know what to do for her anymore. He helped her with little things, such as carrying her up the stairs multiple times a day, even though she had convinced herself that she could manage on her own. She became frustrated with everything, but refused to talk to him about what she was feeling. He watched as she slowly shut down and pushed herself away from her family.

But who was he to judge. Whenever he was put in a tough situation, he ran away from everyone that wanted to help him, to deal with his problems alone.

The days seemed to pass slowly and one day, he reluctantly returned to work, leaving her home by herself, which only seemed to make matters worse. Working with Five-O had been Kono's life, and without during such a difficult time, she felt incredibly lost. She wanted to drown herself in cases and suspects to hide away, but her injuries made that almost impossible. Danny and Chin had been her from the office and Steve had agreed with them. Kono felt absolutely useless and it was driving her insane. She had always been an active person, and now that her life had come to a halt, she had no idea what to do with all of her time.

When he returned home that night, they danced around each other, unsure of what to talk about. She didn't ask about his day, something he didn't want to discuss anyway.

"What do you want from me, Steve? What do you want me to say." She asked as they sat awkwardly around the table, both nervously picking at the food on their plates.

Steve clenched his jaw for a moment before dropping his fork. His frustration were nearly at their breaking point as she spoke. Ever since Kono left the hospital, he had done his best to give her the space, but she didn't give him anything in return. She shut herself off from him and he could not take it any longer.

"I want you to feel something, Kono!" He shouted, watching her jump at the sharpness and volume of his voice. "You almost died! A month ago, you almost died. It kills me every time I think about what how badly things could have been. Chin hovers over you all of the time, scared that you'll slip away and Danny feels so guilty that he can't sleep, but you seem fine." He pointed in her direction, raising from his chair. "You won't let me help you and it doesn't make any sense." Steve shook his head.

Kono was shocked. She hated that she made him feel so helpless, but she had no idea what to do. Just like in her nightmare, she felt like everything was moving so fast, spinning, and she was standing in the middle, unable to gain control of the person she was. She had Mary telling her her how broken Steve is and then he suddenly wants her to feel something. But she has no idea what to feel. She feels dead inside. Does that count? She doubts it does. Her hands were shaking, reaching to her side, grabbing the closest crutch. She struggled to stand while looking at him. He watched as her mouth opened and close when she lost her words. Without saying anything at all, Kono turned and walked away. The sound of her crutches making contact with ground made Steve feel like a complete jerk. He rubbed his forehead with his palm before hiding his face in his hands, ashamed of his actions.

To Be Continued.

**I apologize for the placement of the first scene. I am aware that it is kind of disjointed from the rest of the chapter, but I had to fit it in somewhere and that just happened to be where it landed. **

**Obviously, this story is coming to a close. I'm pretty sure I have at least one more chapter to go. I hope you enjoyed this one and please review!**


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